Samba Schools in Rio?

[Mimg Pao]

Has anybody visited a samba school? I read on Trip Advisor that the top rated schools offer a feijoada lunch and a visit, either on a Saturday or Sunday depending on the school. Trip Advisor gives the web sites of several schools but unfortunately, the information is all in Portugese.

 

We would love to visit one of these schools and have lunch. We will be arriving in Rio on March 12 early morning and departing on the Star Princess March 16, so both Saturday or Sunday will work for us.

 

Lynne

[owl61]

Has anybody visited a samba school? I read on Trip Advisor that the top rated schools offer a feijoada lunch and a visit, either on a Saturday or Sunday depending on the school. Trip Advisor gives the web sites of several schools but unfortunately, the information is all in Portugese.

We would love to visit one of these schools and have lunch. We will be arriving in Rio on March 12 early morning and departing on the Star Princess March 16, so both Saturday or Sunday will work for us.

Lynne

 

Hi. I´m an American expat who lives in Rio. Carnaval this year runs from Feb 21-Feb 24. Samba school activity decreases after carnaval although it is unlikely that you would have been able to visit a school for lunch even prior thereto. In the lead up to carnaval many schools hold weekly dance parties at their premises or a public place at night. Frankly, most tourists would not enjoy these parties which in any event will have ended by Mar 12.

In case you are interested here is a link to the official samba school organization (liesa) site that identifies all the first division schools. http://liesa.globo.com/ Notwithstanding the existence of a US and Spanish flag in the corner of this site I could find no English language version. If you click escolas do samba you can get contact info for each school plus lots of other info much of which you can decipher.

 

On Mar 12, however, you will a great opportunity to visit Cidade do Samba´s (Samba City) Thursday night special show. Here are English language links to both the official city of Rio tour page http://www.riodejaneiro-turismo.com.br/en/ as well as the linked Samba City (Cidade do Samba) page. http://www.riodejaneiro-turismo.com.br/en/ . The Thursday night Samba City shows are very entertaining - much better than the touristy Plataforma Una night club shows that many ships offer as an excursion. Even though the venue is large these shows sell out and there may not be tickets left for the Mar 12 show. Coincidentally, I have reserved 12 tickets to the Mar 12 show in connection with our bon voyage party for our Radiance of the Seas Mar 13 departure from Santos.

 

I urge you to try to reserve tickets for the Mar 12 Samba City show. The problem with Samba City is that it sufffers from poor liesa administration so making reservations is a hassle (like the flags with no corresponding language version). You have to call up, make the reservation, then await a notice that is given 15 days prior to the date of the event that the tickets are available for pick up and payment. If you can hire a local tourist guide in Rio who could get the tickets for you that would be a smart way to go. For an english language site for licensed Rio tour guides see www.sindegtur.org.br/2006/pesquisa . The cost of the Samba City show for non-residents is R$150 but the entrance fee includes substantial snacks and unlimited local drinks, e.g. caipirinhas, beer, sodas. I suggest you substitute vodka for the cachaca in the caipis ( thereby transforming a caipirinha into a caipivodka). Cachaca is a 3 month old rum made from sugar cane which causes many prople to get sick if they drink more than 2.

[owl61]

http://sindegtur.org.br/2006/pesquisa.asp for Rio tour guides.

[Mimg Pao]

Hi. I´m an American expat who lives in Rio. Carnaval this year runs from Feb 21-Feb 24. Samba school activity decreases after carnaval although it is unlikely that you would have been able to visit a school for lunch even prior thereto. In the lead up to carnaval many schools hold weekly dance parties at their premises or a public place at night. Frankly, most tourists would not enjoy these parties which in any event will have ended by Mar 12.

In case you are interested here is a link to the official samba school organization (liesa) site that identifies all the first division schools. http://liesa.globo.com/ Notwithstanding the existence of a US and Spanish flag in the corner of this site I could find no English language version. If you click escolas do samba you can get contact info for each school plus lots of other info much of which you can decipher.

 

On Mar 12, however, you will a great opportunity to visit Cidade do Samba´s (Samba City) Thursday night special show. Here are English language links to both the official city of Rio tour page http://www.riodejaneiro-turismo.com.br/en/ as well as the linked Samba City (Cidade do Samba) page. http://www.riodejaneiro-turismo.com.br/en/ . The Thursday night Samba City shows are very entertaining - much better than the touristy Plataforma Una night club shows that many ships offer as an excursion. Even though the venue is large these shows sell out and there may not be tickets left for the Mar 12 show. Coincidentally, I have reserved 12 tickets to the Mar 12 show in connection with our bon voyage party for our Radiance of the Seas Mar 13 departure from Santos.

 

I urge you to try to reserve tickets for the Mar 12 Samba City show. The problem with Samba City is that it sufffers from poor liesa administration so making reservations is a hassle (like the flags with no corresponding language version). You have to call up, make the reservation, then await a notice that is given 15 days prior to the date of the event that the tickets are available for pick up and payment. If you can hire a local tourist guide in Rio who could get the tickets for you that would be a smart way to go. For an english language site for licensed Rio tour guides see www.sindegtur.org.br/2006/pesquisa . The cost of the Samba City show for non-residents is R$150 but the entrance fee includes substantial snacks and unlimited local drinks, e.g. caipirinhas, beer, sodas. I suggest you substitute vodka for the cachaca in the caipis ( thereby transforming a caipirinha into a caipivodka). Cachaca is a 3 month old rum made from sugar cane which causes many prople to get sick if they drink more than 2.

 

Thanks for the time you have taken to research and reply - it is very much appreciated. It just seems far too complicated so I guess we will have to forego Samba City and will probably look into one of the more commercial touristy shows but frankly I am no longer that enthused. We did see a samba show in Manaus a few years ago while we were on board the forever missed original Royal Princess.

 

However, if any members of your group decided to cancel, we would be interested in buying the tickets.

 

Lynne

[DD]

Lynne, our guide in December took us to a private party where a Samba school performed. It was a small party, and we were among the only non-locals. Why not try contacting him to see if he can arrange something. His name is Rafael Torres Lopes. I got the recommendation for him from this message board (and tripadvisor). His email is donrafainrio@yahoo.es

 

We saw the Rocinha Samba School. It's not listed in the school's section on the website above, but it does appear to be a true Samba school. It's been around since 1988 and has participated in Carnival since 1989. It started by winning 1st prize in the entrance group. In 1992 it became Group 1 and a Special Group in 1997 (I don't really know what that means).

 

It was amazing. It was all percussion. It was SO loud and we were SO close -- all of my hearing didn't return until 48 hours later (at least I think it all returned). It also didn't feel touristy in that we were dancing with the locals at a private party.

 

That was the first time that Rafa had taken people that he is guiding to a private party. He asked if we thought others would enjoy the experience or if they would be afraid to go to a local party. I'm not sure if it's now part of his regular tour offerings (it was a night experience), so you'd have to ask him. Even if it's not his regular tour, my guess is that he'd do his best to try for you. I would think, though, that the closer you get to Carnival, probably the harder it would be to do.

[owl61]

Academicos de Rochina was a first division school for one year, then dropped to second division so that is why its name is not listed in the web site in the first division schools although it is probably in the accesso group. School events tail off dramatically after carnval so it is unlikely there will be much in the way of parties Mar 12. Carnaval takes place Feb 21-24 this year. The good thing about Rochina was that its school club was located in Sao Conrado, just a few minutes from Ipanema. You can try a tour guide but don't be disappointed if he draws a blank. As I mentioned earlier, the show at Cidade do Samba will be you best bet - by far.

[freddie]

Owl61 -

 

We also very much appreciate the excellent advice and info regarding Rio that you have generously posted. We will be in Rio for a few days in early December, staying at the Windsor Excelsior, before embarking on Regent Voyager to Ft. L.. We are quite interested in attending a Samba show and are intrigued by your suggestion that CDS is much better than the Plataforma show. However, your caveat that it's difficult to organize the tickets for CDS is a bit concerning.

 

Are the shows always on Thursdays? We'll be in Rio on Thursday, the 3rd of December. Do you think that the concierge at the hotel could get the tickets? If not, how about a private guide? I note that you mentioned on another thread a guide (Luana, I think) who used to work at CDS. Do you have contact info for her?

 

Is there seating at CDS that is better than others, at a higher price? If we can't get into CDS and have to go to Plataforma, is all the seating there the same price and the same level of discomfort?

 

Any suggestions you have on a good Samba performance are most welcome.

 

Cheers, Fred

 

PS - I wanted to send you a PM on TripAdvisor; but I could not figure out how to do that. Is there a trick to gettting into the PM system?

[owl61]

Yes, the administration of CDS can be problemmatical. Try emailing Luana, the ex-CDS staffer. She should be able to facilitate a visit.

luana-ferreira@ig.com.br

Last time I checked there was only one admission price, but some tables/seats are much better located than others way in the back, as in any nightclub.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I wonder if we'd be better off finding a private guide who could expedite an evening like this?

[owl61]

I wonder if we'd be better off finding a private guide who could expedite an evening like this?

If by "an evening like this", you are referring to Cidade do Samba, it is unlikely anyone could arrange the evening as well as Luana. She did this for a group and they loved it and her ( seats in front).

If you're looking for a daytime Rio guide try the sindegtur site above. Rafael does get good reviews.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Sounds intriguing. I just meant that perhaps there are a few guides in Rio who could suggest a similar evening and arrange it. We haven't decided about private guides yet, probably will hire a guide for at least one day.

[owl61]

Sounds intriguing. I just meant that perhaps there are a few guides in Rio who could suggest a similar evening and arrange it. We haven't decided about private guides yet, probably will hire a guide for at least one day.

I met Luana when my Brasilian wife and I took a daytime tour of CDS. She was the tour guide. She spoke decent English. She no longer works at CDS, but when a group visiting the city prior to embarking used her to arrange tickets/entry Luana did a splendid job. You can double check with that person, alwayscoldmom, at need2sailaway@msn.com